09/04/2009

Are you pulling my finger?

It has always struck me that - like the army always being prepared for the last war it fought - airport security is worryingly aimed at the last threat, rather than anticipating the next. And, having a glimpse of what the next threat might be, I'm even more worried.

After 9/11, we are all being searched for box-cutters. After the shoe bomber, we are all having our shoes checked - even flip-flops. (The fact that the last plane on 9/11 and the shoe bomber were both prevented from carrying out their objectives by the passengers overpowering the terrorists surely means we might be better off carrying our own weapons on board, of course. But that's an argument for another day.)

Last week there was an assassination attempt on Saudi Arabia's Deputy Interior Security Minister, who is in charge of counter-terrorism.. A Saudi al-Qaeda terrorist, based in Yemen (now that's turning into a worrying place), said he wanted to reform and give himself up personally to the minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. After being flown to the Saudi capital, Jeddah, undergoing security checks at Najran and Jeddah airports, and spending some weeks in prison, he had his audience - and then blew himself up. Where had he hidden the bomb? In his anus.

Fortunately, as you might expect, the blast was down and out, so the minister was unharmed. You might say the attempt backfired.

Remember that advice your mum always told you about wearing clean underwear when you went out? Worth bearing in mind the next time you face airport security.